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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26701549">A Little Birdy Told Me You Loved Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Le_kunokimchi/pseuds/Le_kunokimchi'>Le_kunokimchi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Scree's a Sea of Purples and Greens [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Feels, Ben Hargreeves &amp; Klaus Hargreeves Friendship, Ben and Klaus are JUST brothers in this, Dead Ben Hargreeves, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, M/M, Mutual Pining, Number Five | The Boy Has Issues, Post-Season/Series 02, Season/Series 02 Spoilers, Time Travel Fix-It, but not, it's Sparrow Ben and Klaus that are the ship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:47:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26701549</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Le_kunokimchi/pseuds/Le_kunokimchi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“I… I may have found a way home.”<br/>The atmosphere turns frigid in an instant, the air escapes the medium. “Home? Like… home-home?” he inquires, the slightest of quivers to his voice (he doubts any of them noticed). </p><p>Five nodded.<br/>“What do you mean: may?” Diego sneered, “Have you or have you not?”</p><p>The old-yet-not-old man rolled his eyes in annoyance. “I worked out a deal; we can head back to our timeline as soon as tomorrow.”</p><p>Klaus was rigid in his seat, staring at his brother in disbelief. They can go back? They wanted to go back? Sure, for Allison it made sense because of her daughter but the rest of them too? Vanya has a violin here (technically the same violin) and could just get a job and an apartment. Diego didn’t have to live at the academy if Dad was that big of a problem.</p><p>The thought both terrifies and disgusts him. What was wrong with here? They have each other, they have a roof, they have no apocalypse, and they have an extended family of super weirdos... What more could they want? </p><p>(Or the one where The Umbrella Academy has a big decision to make and Klaus isn't willing to give up so easily)<br/>*The conclusion to this series*</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Hargreeves &amp; Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves/Klaus Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves &amp; Original Character(s), Number Five | The Boy &amp; Klaus Hargreeves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Scree's a Sea of Purples and Greens [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1912291</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Finished faves</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Little Birdy Told Me You Loved Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello my friends, here we are with the final part of the series...<br/>I wanted to tie up loose ends and have references to other parts throughout the series so to those who stuck around this long, thank you very much, and here's your award!</p><p>You know the drill: Sparrow Ben goes by One and this is a continuation of A Little Birdy Told Me You Were Interested.<br/>This will be mainly Klaus POV until the end snippet which will be Birdy's. </p><p>~Enjoyyy</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The medium sat on a bean bag in the attic, one leg crossed over the other and head lolling off to the side. It has been a relatively normal day; he’s not sure what this late-night family meeting could have been spurred by. </p><p> </p><p>Luther and Diego were bickering about something on the couch although there wasn’t any malice behind their words. He smiles; it was nice that their rivalry became more friendly than cynical. When did their bond ever develop? It must have been some time in the ’60s… sometime when Klaus wasn’t there. He didn’t get a chance to talk to either of them much in that timeline, it wasn’t until timeline three that he realized how much they’ve changed and grown. </p><p> </p><p>Luther, for the better. And Deigo? Eh, he’s not so sure; other than the hairstyle he’s currently rocking, the medium can’t say any other positive change. </p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t as much as a lone wolf anymore, that’s for sure, but he was still always on his own agenda; he did what he wanted when he wanted and was quite obsessive now. He hasn’t stuck a knife into Reggie dear’s skull just yet so that’s definitely an improvement of self-control, right?</p><p>Although, after the dinner, it became apparent that Klaus’s brother still held some fear of their father; it was reasonable though, that black-hearted man knew exactly how to pinpoint the most raw and sensitive nerve you have and then mercilessly drive a screwdriver through it until you are drowning in a puddle of your own gushing emotions. He finds the hangnail of doubt and lack of self-worth, pulls on it just enough that it sticks out, and then he waits for one of two things: the moment where you pick at it yourself until it’s a spot of festering pain… or, the instance where it gets caught on something else and tears the wound even wider.</p><p>He enjoys watching people unravel because then he can wind them back up until they fit into his mold; if you buy a new toy, it has to be worn and broken before it is acceptable to “fix it”. And that’s what Reginald does: he <em>fixes </em>people to his liking because they aren’t <em>people</em>, merely toys in his shop that are completely replaceable and experimental. </p><p> </p><p>But he’s getting ahead of himself; <em> fixes </em>implies that he succeeds. And he doesn’t; he merely tinkers until they are beyond repair. And then? They are discarded.</p><p>At least the Sparrow Academy turned out ok; mistakes have to be made before improvement can be achieved, right? </p><p>The Umbrella Academy was a trial run and they practically gave him a guidebook on how he fucked up, how he went wrong. The second time is truly the charm in this case.</p><p> </p><p>They were just waiting on Allison now. Vanya had already taken a seat on the floor near the sofa where their brothers were having their equivalent to a lover’s quarrel.</p><p>She has definitely changed a lot: more sure of herself, more confident and loud spoken. More <em>her. </em>Klaus likes the change, he loves it if he’s being honest. Finally, he gets another curly fry in this family; he always had a feeling that Vanya was a rainbow queen but he assumed that either Ben or Diego would come out as bi before she ever did. </p><p> </p><p>Turns out Diego is pretty straight though so maybe his intuition failed him there; Ben, on the other hand, was truly an enigma. </p><p> </p><p>He and his ghostly brother used to play a game of sorts where they would look into a crowd of single-seaters and predict whether they were waiting for a guy or a chick to join them; Ben had a knack for it, he could always spot the gay singles. (Maybe from years of being around Klaus?) He'll never know but he thought for sure that Ben had an intuition for it too; and if he did then his brother had to be <em>at least </em>bisexual.</p><p>But then again, he was dead so maybe he was just observant; after many years he assumed Ben was asexual based on his dull or lack thereof replies whenever Klaus pointed someone out. (You can imagine his surprise, and slight disappointment that he was wrong, when the whole Jill confession was blurted). But now with the existence of One and One being <em>very much NOT straight</em>, perhaps Ben just hadn’t met the right guy yet to sway his interests. It’s a funny thought: he was the reason Ben swerved to the heterosexual side ( <em> if </em>he was of course… <em> He’s pretty sure he was)</em>, but then he was also the reason Number One swerved to the homosexual side. He can’t help but wonder if he and Ben would have been together if they weren’t raised as siblings… it’s a disturbing thought; he shivers and quickly banishes said thought (One and Ben were not the same person, they <em> weren’t. </em> It is <em> not </em> incest or even close to Luther and Allison’s whole shtick. Right..? Ugh, another banished thought; moving on…)</p><p> </p><p>What was One doing right now? Sleeping probably; like <em>normal </em>people do. But here they are, waiting to begin a family meeting at one in the morning. He hadn’t seen much of him today; the Sparrows had their weekly group training session in the afternoon and Reginald stuck around a little longer than usual during dinner. Klaus was not with One <em>every </em>morning, either; just because they’ve slept together on multiple occasions doesn’t mean that the medium didn’t still value his alone time. And why run the risk of Grace or Pogo or Reginald walking in on them cuddled up in bed? They'd rather retire to their own rooms unless, well, they were feeling frisky. And that did happen. <em> A lot. </em>Especially when Klaus includes "teasing Birdy" on his daily to-do list. Every recovering addict needs a hobby, after all. </p><p> </p><p>There was something off about Five this fine evening. He was non-existent during the day and called this meeting out of the blue following dinner. And now, he was pacing back and forth like a caged animal. He also refused to make eye contact, which the medium found strange because Five wasn't one to be uncomfortable or intimidated. </p><p> </p><p>Klaus peers at him intently. He was looking for subtle details, details that may give him some clues to what this was about (Diego was right, he is good at reading people… it just depends on whether he cares enough to do something about it). There was no blood on his smallest brother (always a good sign), his usually neat hair was askew and the follicles trimmed around his ears were slightly clumpy from drying sweat; his eyes held the faintest glaze, vague crescent-shaped marks on the inside of his hands. So he has been using his powers; that much was obvious. The furrowed brow and rolling of his lips suggest that he was under pressure about something; the tenuous wrinkles along the bottom of his vest give away that he has been tugging his clothes in an attempt to straighten them… So he has been with the Commission?  </p><p>The medium doesn’t know how he feels about that; nothing good can come from this family meeting, that’s for sure. </p><p> </p><p>At last, Allison arrives. </p><p> </p><p>“Took you long enough,” Diego grumbles, earning an elbow to the ribs by Luther.</p><p>“Sorry, I was in the shower,” she said before sending a glare in the medium’s direction, “And somebody keeps using my shampoo without putting it back.”</p><p>Klaus winks and shoots her with a finger gun. Her eyes narrow. (If One was here, he’d probably make a remark that the cowboy nickname was getting to his head). </p><p>Honestly, she’s overreacting a little; at least he puts it back in the bathroom, right? She just has to grab it before getting under the water.</p><p>And it’s not <em>his </em>fault that <em>somebody </em>doesn’t like the fruity scent of Selena’s shampoo and there was no way in hell he’d be caught dead using Eva’s two-in-one (that would do nothing to nourish his luscious locks). And Vanya’s toiletries were elusive; he has yet to discover their hiding place.</p><p>If Allison got to smell good then why can’t he? <em> Who even takes a shower past midnight?  </em></p><p> </p><p>“So what’s up, Five? Why the late night summoning?” Diego questioned, predictably twirling a knife in his hand (honestly, one of these days it’s going to go flying right into his baby-maker and Klaus prays to the little girl that he'll be there for it, laughing). </p><p> </p><p>The time-traveling assassin halted his pacing immediately, clasping his hands together as he stood at the front of the room. Klaus gave a small roll of his eyes at the amateur dramatics. </p><p> </p><p>“I… I may have found a way home.”</p><p>The atmosphere turns frigid in an instant, the air escapes the medium. “Home? Like… home-home?” he inquires, the slightest of quivers to his voice (he doubts any of them noticed). </p><p> </p><p>Five nodded.</p><p>“What do you mean: <em> may </em>?” Diego sneered, “Have you or have you not?”</p><p> </p><p>The old-yet-not-old man rolled his eyes in annoyance. “I worked out a deal; we can head back to our timeline as soon as tomorrow.”</p><p> </p><p>“I get to see Claire?”</p><p>“I get my violin and apartment?”</p><p>“Our timeline, as in no Dad?”</p><p> </p><p>Klaus was rigid in his seat, staring at his brother in disbelief. They can go <em>back</em>? They <em>wanted </em>to go back? Sure, for Allison it made sense because of her daughter but the rest of them too? Vanya has a violin here (technically the same violin) and could just get a job and an apartment. Diego didn’t have to live at the academy if Dad was that big of a problem.</p><p>The thought both terrifies and disgusts him. What was wrong with here? They have each other, they have a roof, they have no apocalypse, and they have an extended family of super weirdos. What more could they want? There is nothing left for him in <em>their </em>2019; everybody he needs is right here. Why would they want to go back? They can’t; if they go back then…</p><p> </p><p>“What’s the catch?” Luther asks, his arms crossed and gaze holding mild suspicion and apprehension (so that’s where their collective brain cell went! He was looking for it… who would have thought that the big guy had it in him). Klaus gives his biggest brother a glance and nods frantically; there’s always a catch with time-travel. Nothing ever came free and easy. And if Five worked out a deal, there has to be <em>some downside</em>. </p><p>Five sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “The catch is the Sparrow Academy would have never been formed.”</p><p>Diego’s face takes on a look of horror. “We’d <em> kill </em>them?”</p><p>“No, you imbecile,” Five snapped as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “They’d be wherever they were before Reginald adopted them. We’d be taking their place basically; how it was originally.”</p><p>Vanya frowned. “But they never would have met us..?”</p><p>The smallest brother looked grim, “Yes, just like we didn’t know them the first time.”</p><p> </p><p>Something still wasn’t making sense for the medium; something was screaming in his head for him to take notice of it but everything was muffled by his shock and dread. He just stared, hoping that Five would make eye contact and be under the full intensity of his look of betrayal and heartbreak.</p><p>Why did he always do this to them? Why does Five always have them leave right as he’s settling in and trying to be better?</p><p> </p><p>“So we could still meet them; we could form our own superhero team with them if we wanted,” Diego concedes as he crosses his arms in thought, “Make sure they’re alive and well and not screwed over.”</p><p> </p><p><em> Well of course they’re screwed over, </em> Klaus wanted to snap, <em> We stole their freaking life away.  </em></p><p>“If we could find them, sure.” Five shrugs, “They are not my main priority. My main priority is getting us back home and finally having all this fucked up stuff fixed.”</p><p> </p><p>“How?” Klaus says breathily, a hint of venom to his tone, “How can it just be <em>fixed</em>? What kind of deal did you make?”</p><p>“It doesn’t concern you. The Commission is agreeing to clean up the past in a way that keeps Reginald from not adopting us so I took it,” Five grits, although there is a guilty glint to his eyes like maybe he was hiding something, “They mentioned being able to wipe his memory after our meeting with him that night; it shouldn’t affect too much that way.”</p><p> </p><p>The medium sits up in his chair, his hands digging into the sides of his legs. This isn’t fair, it isn’t. He isn’t telling them something and they aren’t caring that they are literally <em> erasing </em>the lives they created. <em> Again. </em>“Deals go both ways,” Klaus points out in frustration, “What’s in it for them? What, exactly, did you agree to?”</p><p> </p><p>“It doesn’t matter, Klaus. What matters is that we don’t <em>belong </em>here,” his brother hissed defensively, <em> too </em>defensively. That wasn’t good enough, he needs a reasonable explanation; he <em>deserves </em>a reasonable explanation.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s the cost, brother of mine? I know there is one; I know we’re giving up something more than just our academy twins. So spit it out; what’s the cost? What did you do this time?” There was no more lightness in his voice; the shock factor was over. Now he was mad, he was <em>really </em>mad. Why now of all times? Why not <em>months </em>before? Why is he the only one <em>not </em>on board with this jackass straight-out-of-a-rabbit-hat deal? </p><p> </p><p>Diego cuts in with a scowl. “What the hell is wrong with you, man? Don’t you want to go back home?”</p><p> </p><p>Allison is looking at him angrily too. “Yeah, come on Klaus. Don’t you want to get back to your life?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t have a <em> life </em>there, I never did,” the medium snaps, “Everything I’ve ever wanted is right here, in <em>this </em>timeline. And I’ll be damned if you uproot us, once again, with some shady deal and zero explanation of the severe consequences that follow dancing with the devil."</p><p> </p><p>He doesn’t want to leave. Can’t they understand that? Can’t they see that he is finally happy?</p><p>He knew that he was never an altruistic or giving person but taking their friends' entire life away and replacing it with another because <em>they </em>fucked up and want to go back to pretend like nothing ever happened? That was selfish, even for him.</p><p> </p><p>Vanya gives him a look akin to pity and Klaus squirms in his bean bag, refusing to meet her eyes. </p><p>“This is about Number One,” she says gently like Klaus was resembling a spooked animal (Allison and Diego’s expression began to match her’s), “You don’t want to leave him; you care about him, we get that. We all had to leave somebody behind too.”</p><p> </p><p>His scowl deepens; no, <em>they didn’t get it. Everybody</em> has left <em>him; </em>and now, with the single person who's willing to stay, he has to <em>leave</em>? He thought maybe he got lucky this time, maybe One was <em>the one, </em>but fate was going to tear that away from him too?</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t fair but he wasn’t looking at them; he wasn’t revealing the deep sorrow that took a hold of his soul. No, his gaze remained directly on Five, who, by the way, has yet to meet his eyes throughout this whole endeavor and even seemed to flinch a little at the mention of One’s name. </p><p> </p><p>Something wasn’t right and he could feel it, but he was so overwhelmed with the realization that this is a fight he cannot <em>win </em>that he curls in on himself.</p><p> </p><p>The hitman clears his throat. “We’ll take a vote; do we all agree that we’re meeting here, tomorrow, and going home?”</p><p>It was silent for a few moments, people nodding and Klaus solemnly staring at his obsidian toenails. </p><p>“No,” he mumbles absently, “I’m not leaving.”</p><p> </p><p>"You can't stay here," Diego comments, "Who knows how it'll screw you up when the past is changed."</p><p>Allison frowns at him. "We're not leaving you behind."</p><p> </p><p>"Well if I fade from existence with the rest of this life, so be it. I'm not leaving, you can't make me.<em> We're </em> the ones who messed up, <em> we </em>should have to live with the consequences." He crosses his arms and sinks deeper into the chair. </p><p>Five's hands clenched tightly at his sides, seething, "You <em>are </em>leaving and I <em> will </em>make you. We're all in this together whether you like it or not."</p><p> </p><p>"They made lives for themselves, they are relatively happy; how can you be willing to take that away from them when they've given us <em> everything </em> ?" Klaus hissed back. That nagging feeling in the back of his head was still there, taunting him with a bitter unknown; it was driving him mad and pressure was building up behind his eyes because this just can't be <em>it</em>, right? This timeline is really going to end here? It isn't fair, it just isn't! </p><p> </p><p>His head feels like he stuck it right into a plate of jello: colors and shapes wavy with distorted voices playing in the background. He's sinking, he knows that he is; simply wilting like a dandelion on a gardener's lawn. The argument was futile, as was his hopes to stick around; they'd be gone tomorrow and there is nothing he can do about it.</p><p> </p><p>"None of this will exist how it is now; none of these people will be here because they aren't <em>supposed </em>to be here. With or without you, this is happening. And I'll drag you along if I have to," Five snapped, turning to address his other siblings, "We are all here, on <em>time</em>, tomorrow. If Klaus isn't, bribe him with some alcohol if you have to. You're going to be here: you decide whether you want to be conscious or not."</p><p> </p><p>The medium stood abruptly; he couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to get away, he wanted to pretend that none of this was happening. His siblings' company was not something he wished to have at the moment nor did he want to sit here a moment longer and try to dissect Five's complicated brain with no success. </p><p> </p><p>"Excuse me while I go back in time to keep Ben from dying; then none of the timelines would happen because we'd be one big <em>perfect </em>happy family," he says dryly, knowing it was a low blow but not regretting it in the slightest. </p><p> </p><p>He storms to the door and throws it open, hearing a "Wait, Klaus-" from Luther before Five cuts him off.</p><p>"Let him go." The smallest brother then tacks on a little quieter, "It's about time you guys realize that love and time-travel don't mix."</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>It's a bad idea. It's such a horrible idea but he finds himself doing it anyway. How was he ever supposed to move on if he keeps feeding the fire? This was so stupid and will only cause him more pain because he doesn't like letting go, he doesn't like moving on, he doesn't like grieving about all that could have been and all that it was.</p><p>He opens the door.</p><p> </p><p>He shouldn't make One suffer, he shouldn't drag him in the baggage. He should just leave tomorrow, silently, without explanation because it would be easier for the both of them. Kiss and diss was something the old Klaus would have done; he's changed now, he values One too much.</p><p>He doesn't tie strings and he doesn't get attached but here he is, <em> very attached</em>, and he knows that a single wrong move tonight will make him never leave the man's bed again. </p><p> </p><p>And that wasn't fair because that bed wouldn't belong to One for much longer. </p><p> </p><p>How was he supposed to let go if Klaus just kept him hanging from a hook? There are plenty of fish in the sea but he can't continue fishing if he doesn't take the fish he caught <em>off </em>first, and he clearly <em>wasn't </em>going to if Klaus acted like this was just another normal night together.</p><p> </p><p>Five was right, time-travel and <em>love </em>don't mix; he knew it, Allison knew it, Diego knew it, Vanya knew it… They all knew it. But the circumstances were different this time for him; he doesn't <em>know </em>about the death of the other, he and his family are directly <em>causing </em>it. It's like they were killing all of them because when they go to bed tomorrow, they won't know that it'll be their last time together, last time in this house, last time being <em>them.</em> And that honestly feels worse than Dave because he is a hundred percent responsible. </p><p> </p><p>He stares sadly at the sleeping figure beneath the covers, taking in every detail of his peaceful face and steadily breathing chest. </p><p>He should go. He shouldn't have come… But he crawls into the bed anyways.</p><p> </p><p>One shifts at the new sudden weight on the mattress, letting out a half-asleep, "Klaus?"</p><p>The medium's heart seizes at the murmur of his name; he loved One's gravelly morning voice, it was the best thing about waking up. </p><p> </p><p>The man shifts again as Klaus buries his head into One's side, his breathing a bit staggered as he fights to control the immense amount of pain in his chest. </p><p>One's arm wraps lazily around him, blinking tiredly at the face squished against his ribs (Klaus hoped that if he pressed tight enough, he'd be able to either hold in or hide his tears). </p><p> </p><p>The man teased unknowingly, "Must have been one hell of a family meeting…"</p><p>Too soon. The medium takes a shaky breath, holds it for three seconds, and then breathes out slowly. <em> Keep it together</em>, <em> keep it together… </em> </p><p>Unfortunately, a small sniffle escapes and One is instantly relieved of his drowsiness by the noise, turning on his side to fully engulf him in his arms and shield him away from the struggles of the outside world. </p><p> </p><p>Klaus clings to him in response; he was going to miss this, he was going to miss it so much. Tears welled up in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"What happened?" One speaks gently, cautiously; Klaus would have smiled at his sweet attempt to contain his raging curiosity. </p><p>Seconds of silence tick by before the medium could gather his strength to speak. </p><p> </p><p>He mumbled quietly, "He found a way back…"</p><p>Deep down, he knew that it was a bad idea to tell him; he knew that One wasn’t stupid and would eventually catch on to what <em>going home </em>really entails. But for now, he’ll leave out <em>those </em>specific details to keep him from worrying (and from literally telling him that they are going to replace his family). </p><p> </p><p>More silence rang around them, the man felt a little stiffer than before. “Five… He figured out how to get back to your proper timeline?”</p><p> </p><p>Klaus nods.</p><p>“Oh,” One breathes, uncertainty tingeing his voice, “Well that’s a good thing, right? You get to go back home…”</p><p> </p><p>So it seems One knew less about time travel than he thought; good. This should make things easier. </p><p>“Would it be wrong of me to say no?”</p><p> </p><p>He lifts his head slightly to see the man’s face. It was a mistake; he was giving him that knowing look that spoke volumes about just <em>how </em>wrong it is. He didn’t even have to open his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“What if I… I don’t want to...” Klaus mumbles, a pained glint to his green eyes.</p><p>One’s brow furrows slightly, as it did when he was conflicted and concerned but borderline reprimanding (the expression was very much a <em> Ben </em>thing; his brother used to direct it to him often).</p><p> </p><p>He shakes his head, “No, you have to go with them; family comes first.”</p><p>“But you guys are family too…”</p><p>“They are <em>real </em>family, family you were <em>supposed </em>to meet. This reality is one you don’t belong in, you know that.”</p><p> </p><p>Oh, he hates how much that sounded like Five. But that statement revealed something: One thought this timeline ran parallel to theirs. So, he assumed that they would never see each other again because of alternate universes like in comics and science fiction movies. Which made sense (he had to pull the knowledge from somewhere), but was completely <em>untrue </em>because Klaus could find them all and just meet a different version of them that doesn’t remember- wait… that doesn’t seem right… </p><p> </p><p>In the last timeline, One was...</p><p> </p><p>“No,” he whispered, that fog in his mind beginning to clear; that nagging feeling finally reared its ugly head in full clarity, "How can I just leave you, knowing you're..."</p><p> </p><p>“I won’t blame you for leaving; I want you to know that right now. Meeting you has been… been one of the best things to ever happen to me.” One gives a sad-but-attempting-to-be-assuring smile. </p><p> </p><p>The waterworks trickle down the medium’s cheeks; the dots were connecting and it was <em>horrible</em>. If they go back to their timeline if Reginald adopted the kids he <em>originally </em>did…</p><p> “Stop,” Klaus shakes his head almost desperately, unable to meet those warm chocolate eyes. He stares over One’s shoulder at where the door lurked in the dark room. “I c-can’t leave, I won’t-!”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not letting you stay,” the man says firmly but there is such fondness dripping from his tone that Klaus’s face screws up in despair, “We will be just fine without you guys; we will- I will- just… this <em>has </em>to happen. No one is holding it against you.”</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t have the heart to tell him that this is the last night for the Sparrow Academy. He didn’t have the heart to tell him that everything he knows will be reset and that only <em>they </em>will remember who One and his siblings once were. He didn’t have the heart to tell him that unlike the rest of the Sparrows, <em>he really</em> <em>won’t be fine</em>. </p><p> </p><p>A hand presses over his mouth as he smothers an unattractive sob (he was such an ugly crier).</p><p>He knows that One, just like the original timeline, won’t get a happy ending. <em>How could they all forget who One really is?</em> <em>He</em>, of all people, should have realized <em>right away</em> the cruel fate that awaited him<em>.</em></p><p> </p><p>“Can you at least look at me?” One coaxes in such a soft and caring voice. </p><p>The medium didn’t want to look at him, he really <em>didn’t</em>. But when he met his eyes anyways, fear rose in his chest. He knows that face, he knows those eyes. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Don’t say it. Please, for the love of God, don’t say it. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Why..?" Klaus mumbles warily.</p><p>"I want to take in every last detail of your face."</p><p>"It would be best if you just forgot about me."</p><p>“I’ll never forget you, Cowboy. Ever.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Please, spare him… Don’t do this, don’t say it. He doesn’t know if he can bear to hear the words. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Klaus stutterers out, “I-I… No- Don't promise that...”</p><p> </p><p>"Of course I'm going to promise that..! Because I…" </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Stop, stop, stop! Don’t taunt him like this.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"I.." the man tried again, "Because I…"</p><p>That new emotion swirling in One’s eyes spoke the next words before he even began moving his mouth and Klaus could only suffer the weight that would be carried by them. Time-travel and love don’t mix; they were a combustion reaction, a recipe for destruction. But One <em>wouldn’t </em>know that and Klaus does; he does all too well. He won’t be able to say the words back, he knows it. And the man doesn’t deserve that, he deserves so much <em>better </em>than that.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you.”</p><p>And in an instant, Klaus is springing away from him like he was burned. One blinks in surprise, confusion and hurt swimming across his face. </p><p>Klaus is the harshest person in the universe; he knows. How could he do this to someone so special and amazing? Why can’t he admit exactly how he feels? Why won’t he say those words back?</p><p> </p><p>Because he’s a coward. He has always been a coward. He always admits things far too late. </p><p>
  <em> You don’t deserve this, you don’t deserve me. You never have; I should know, you’ve stuck with me in all three timelines.  </em>
</p><p>“I’m so sorry,” he whispers agonizingly sincere, backing up towards the door. </p><p> </p><p>One sits up, hands clenched tightly in his lap. His jaw was shifted, his inner cheek undoubtedly between his molars. There was a mask of anger in his voice as he said, “Don’t you dare leave,” his face scrunched in desperation, “Why can’t you at least kiss me and pretend that you feel the same, just for tonight? Please, just give me that, Klaus. Let me have this.”</p><p> </p><p>The medium opens the door and bites his lip at how horrible this is, at how painful <em>it is</em>.</p><p>He’s the worst kind of person: he knew exactly how it felt to confess something as heavy as that and just watch the person walk away in response. But he knows, he <em>knows, </em> that if he takes a single step forward, if he reveals that he was running away because he knows a more painful truth than simply not reciprocating One's feelings (because that was most certainly <em>not </em>the case but it’d be safer to let One assume that) then he’ll be trapped. He'll be weeping for a life that was always so bright yet snuffed out too soon no matter the circumstances. </p><p>And this time it’ll be permanent. <em>This time it will be</em> <em>because of all of them. </em></p><p> </p><p>Klaus pleads shakily, “If I kiss you right now... I’ll never leave-”</p><p>“Then tell me I'm not the only one that feels this way; don’t make me wonder!”</p><p> </p><p>The medium’s face becomes grim. This isn’t fair. It’s never fair. He says in the most earnest voice he can muster, “You deserve the world,” <em> and I always take it away from you. </em></p><p>And then he leaves, unable to withstand the look of betrayal on One’s face.</p><p>The less he knew, the better. </p><p> </p><p>And although he has failed Ben many times before, he’s not going to fail One just yet.</p><p>
  <em> Wait for me. I will fix this. </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Klaus is pounding on the bedroom door before he can even register that it is happening; he has never done anything right in his life but this- this he will fight for (or at least give Five an earful until he was wishing that he stayed in that fiery apocalypse). </p><p> </p><p>There’s a gruff “What?” that comes from inside but the medium keeps knocking without mercy. </p><p>Finally, the door swings open and he’s met with the unamused glare of his eldest brother. “What could you <em> possibly </em>want at two in the morning?” </p><p> </p><p>He pushes his way into Five’s room, earning an irritated huff in response. </p><p> </p><p>Klaus spins around on him as soon as the door was shut, demanding, “Why didn’t you tell them?” </p><p> </p><p>The time jumper rolled his eyes, “Tell them what?”</p><p>“You know <em> exactly </em>what.”</p><p> </p><p>“Believe it or not, dumbass, I can’t even begin to comprehend every little insignificant thought that passes through that horribly corrupted brain of yours.”</p><p> </p><p>“He’ll cease to exist. Forever. You k-knew,” Klaus accuses angrily but there was a fresh wave of tears springing to his eyes, "and you didn’t say a word about it. How could you do that to us? They have a right to know, <em>I </em>had a right to know!”</p><p> </p><p>"If you were smarter, I'd say that I think you have a pretty good idea of <em>why </em>I couldn't tell them," Five sneers, arms crossed and teeth bared in a threatening manner. </p><p>"Well let's assume I'm the biggest idiot in the universe, then," the medium hisses.</p><p> </p><p>The elder pinches the bridge of his nose, saying exasperatedly, "If I told everybody that One <em> is </em> Ben just raised under different stimuli, that if we go back, he will <em> no longer exist </em> because our brother <em> is very much </em>dead in our timeline, they'd all want to bring him with."</p><p> </p><p>The medium scrubs his arms, trying to warm away the breakout of goosebumps across his skin. "And why can't we?" He questioned a little softer than before. </p><p> </p><p>Five sighs heavily. "Look, Klaus: Ben, Number One, whatever you want to call him… he isn't supposed to be alive. <em> Ben </em>is <em>supposed </em>to be dead; One should never have existed. The Commission wants him gone because his powers are unstable but they can't eliminate him if we're here; we’d never allow it. <em> None </em>of us want to watch him die, myself included, but it's either go back to our original timeline quietly or stay here forever to keep him in check.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then we’ll stay here forever, I don’t see the problem-”</p><p>“Yeah, right; try telling the others that,” Five said with a scowl, “You know as well as I do that we don’t belong here-”</p><p>“People keep saying that but how can you even define <em> belonging </em>?” His hands fly through the air, beginning to prowl around his smallest brother unintentionally in an attempt to organize his racing thoughts, “Belonging is a feeling evoked by the people you're around, not by a place where others expect you to be.”</p><p> </p><p>“So you’re saying you <em> like </em>staying here with the man that practically tortured you growing up?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m saying that I feel more loved and valued here with these wonderful people than I have anywhere else in my entire life. And that says <em> a lot </em> coming from a person who had hundreds of cult followers.”</p><p> </p><p>“There is another version of you, here, somewhere in this world. We can’t have the risk of your lives overlapping; us even being here creates a temporal paradox,” Five explains, his foot tapping on the floor as he attempted to keep an eye on Klaus’s erratic pacing. </p><p>“Oh don’t worry about that,” the medium dismisses, “I know exactly where the other me is; it is the rest of you that is a wild card but we could always look for them to ensure no run-ins.”</p><p> </p><p>“You can’t really be considering- wait… how do you know where you are?” Five’s eyes narrowed in an analyzing manner. Klaus froze for merely a second before turning to him with a malicious smile. </p><p> </p><p>"It doesn't concern you," he mocked in a sing-song tone, loving the way his brother's forehead resembled the appearance of a Shar-Pei. (It probably wasn’t the best time to explain that he was a stillborn with some second-wind tendencies… or that the average person probably unwittingly buried him alive before his dubious immortality kicked him back).</p><p> </p><p>“Klaus,” Five warned.</p><p>“It sucks, doesn’t it? When somebody knows something and thinks you can’t handle the truth, brother dear? The thing is: I think they would all want to stay here if you told them the situation. Our siblings may be thick-headed and stubborn sometimes, but they aren’t stupid.”</p><p> </p><p>“For the last time, you idiot, we are not staying! Now just answer the question!”</p><p> </p><p><em> So they are both relying on deflection, interesting. </em>"And why not?"</p><p>“We already voted on it!”</p><p>“Then we can do a second vote,” Klaus peers at Five in that pensive way that makes peoples’ skin crawl. He smirks at his brother’s slight bristle.</p><p> </p><p>“There would be no point-”</p><p>“You know as well as I do that if it came down to leaving <em> Ben’s second chance at life</em>, or Allison’s daughter (and a couple of other things that were honestly way less important), they will choose to stay,” the medium crosses his arms, “So the question is: how come you don’t want to?”</p><p> </p><p>Five just glares at him, his fists lighting up in pale shades of blue like he was getting ready to jump away; Klaus lowers his hands to his side and clenches them too, feeling the ghastly chill of energy thrumming at his fingertips. </p><p> </p><p>He bends over in a degrading manner, palms pressed to his knees as he makes himself eye level with Five; the time jumper’s jaw ticked at the condescending gesture. “Did you, perhaps, already do your part of the bargain? What was it, hm?”</p><p>“I have no idea what you’re-”</p><p>“Did ya kill another board of directors?”</p><p> </p><p>Five’s power dispersed in an instant, his face blanching. “How do you know that? I… I didn’t tell anyone,” he mumbled, eyeing the medium warily.</p><p> </p><p>Klaus’s expression lights up in faux pity, a sickeningly sweet smile stretching his lips all too thin. “I was called The Seance for a reason, darling. You think I wouldn’t notice that my little brother has a new list of red added to his ledger? That’s how you got the suitcase, wasn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Why would you be talking to the ghosts?” the man-child hissed, “You’re scared of them. That’s why you drink all the time and used to do drugs: to keep them away!”</p><p> </p><p>Klaus laughs airily, standing up straight to tower over Five with a daunting stare. “I have gotten a lot better with my powers these last three years; I have discovered that I can tweak their presence, decide on whether I want to see them all or not. But I always <em> feel </em> them, even if they’re silently standing in the corner or screaming in my face.” He spins his finger in a circular motion behind Five, his eyes darting to presences that his brother couldn’t see, “It may be better to forget for you, to go back in time and erase every mistake you’ve ever made; it may be better for you to try and pretend that none of <em>them </em>ever happened. But take it from the biggest screw up of them all: forgetting doesn’t mean learning, <em> living </em>with the consequences does.”</p><p> </p><p>Five takes on a look of utter fury, a dangerous glint to his eyes. “You are the biggest hypocrite of them all,” he seethes, a twitch of a sinister smile on his own lips, “the only reason you want to stay here with your <em>precious Birdy </em>is because you fucked up with Ben; is it easy to pretend that Ben never died? That you didn’t lie to us time and time again about him being there? That he <em>loves </em>you because you were such a <em> fantastic </em>brother to him? Face it: One is nothing but a second chance for <em> you</em>, a walking remedy of <em> denial </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Klaus knows that the words were supposed to be harsh, he knows that they were only said because Five <em>can’t </em>lose an argument and if that means he has got to pull a ‘Reginald Hargreeves specialty’ and twist that screwdriver straight into a soft spot then… he’d do it. </p><p> </p><p>And Klaus should be used to the stinging by now; it’s only temporary after all… but this hits a place deeper than the usual mushy nerves his siblings liked to obliviously press into. This was more of a crowbar to the heart than a screwdriver: wedged into one of the many little cracks and prying it wider with reckless abandonment. He tells himself not to <em>cry </em> (again), to just <em>brush it off. </em> Five said it to make him back down, he said it to hurt <em>him</em>; he can’t show that it did.</p><p>And so that pain and hurt and energy put into holding back his tear erupts out in a different way: in a sudden burst of pure <em>anger </em>(and desperation from the lack of other emotions he could feel right now to cover up his sadness), Klaus shoves Five right in the chest, catching his brother off guard and causing him to stumble back a few steps. </p><p> </p><p>“And they call you the <em>smart </em>one; you don’t know anything at all,” the medium says flatly, crossing his arms to conceal his shaking hands (after gulping nervously at what his homicidal brother just <em>allowed </em>him to do), “Ben deserved the world and it was taken away from him too soon; I’m not going to let the same thing happen to One. Because I care about my brother, no matter <em> who </em> he is or <em> where </em> he’s from; and although it’s a different kind of care now… you still wouldn’t understand either because the only thing you love is <em> your ego </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Five blinks at him a few times before his face contorts in total outrage. “I’ve saved your life so many times, I’ve stopped literal apocalypses for all of you! How can you even say-”</p><p>Klaus rolls his eyes and turns his back on him, walking to the door as he mumbles, “Diego was never the only one with a <em> hero complex</em>.”</p><p>“I do <em> not-” </em></p><p>He turns the doorknob, “I’m telling them tomorrow and you can’t stop me.”</p><p>“You <em>wouldn’t dare. </em>”</p><p> </p><p>The medium smiles wryly, eyes devoid of humor or sympathy as he says before shutting the door, “Watch me.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>The table was dead silent the entire evening; what used to be a place of warmth and conversing was now a cold reminder. The empty chairs on the other side of the wooden divider stared at him mockingly, uttering hushed strings of negative thoughts. <em> What were you thinking getting involved with someone like him? Your entire meeting was a mistake, a freak accident; did you really think everything would work out in the end? </em></p><p> </p><p>He picks at his food and continues to glare at his plate.</p><p> </p><p>Now that <em>they </em>were gone, there was no need to stay at the dinner table after Dad left. He and his siblings could leave now without missing much yet they stayed like some gravitational pull was keeping them planted in their seats.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey um… One?” he hears Seven question; he gives him a side glance before going back to twirling his fork endlessly in the linguine on his plate. </p><p>He mutters, “What?”</p><p> </p><p>“Where… Where is everybody else?”</p><p> </p><p>If One could disappear into his chair, he would. This wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have at the moment (<em>or ever for that matter</em>). His eyes, for a brief second, drift over the empty plate across from him before he has to force himself to look away, the painful memories cycling through his mind. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “You gotta press a lot harder than that if you wanna get me going, Birdy.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>He doesn’t think he’ll be able to ever touch that wall again.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> "Also, what's your obsession with purple underwear? Is that your favorite color or something?" </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>What color underwear was he supposed to wear now?</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “If I was easy, would I be at all interesting?” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>He will never describe a person as ‘difficult’ again.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “Just saying, I only came so your big boy leader ego wouldn’t be crushed. Threatening me with your sucker-cupped friends? Really? You say it like the thought of them picking me up off the bed isn’t a major turn-on.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>He can’t even feel the Horror stirring in his stomach without being bombarded with unwanted thoughts and desires.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “I thought pants would make the uniforms better but no: they are so, SO much worse. Ugh, what even are you? A thirty-year-old private school snob?” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>The uniform pants will never feel the same. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> "My lifeguard in shining armor~" </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>That’s a job he will most certainly <em>never </em>have now.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “L'enfer est vide et tous les démons sont ici.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Shakespear will be forever ruined.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “</em>
    <em>You’re simply gooey.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Why does his chest ache so bad? </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “-no matter which world you wake up in, know that I'll be right there waiting.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>But what if he <em>was </em>his world? Maybe this is all a bad dream... Will he be there if he wakes up?</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “Can we… can we just stay like this for a few more minutes?” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>A hundred minutes, a thousand minutes; if he knew this was going to happen, he would have never let go.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “Did Daddy ever teach you to ballroom dance?” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>He’d dance every single day if it meant being with him.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “So I take it we’re not going to the family-get-together dinner, then.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>His brow furrows; it just wasn't fair. He buries his face into his hands.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “Am I really too much for you? All we’re doing is sitting here talking about feelings and you’re already wanting to go for round two.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>“One?”</p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “I really, really, really like you.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>“Are you okay? Where are they?”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “I’m so sorry." “If I kiss you right now… I’ll never leave.” “You deserve the world.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>He scrubs his eyes and swallows down any sort of emotion that was threatening to spill. </p><p>“They went home,” he croaks, grimacing at his voice’s betrayal. </p><p> </p><p>“Home?” Christopher says incredulously, “Why would they-”</p><p> </p><p>“Do that when our home is right here? I don’t know either.”</p><p>One freezes at the voice, head whipping upwards as she plops down at the table with a warm grin. Her eyes appeared puffy (like she has also shed some tears tonight) but her expression radiated nothing but happiness and compassion. </p><p>“Yeah, what the hell guys: you’re already talking crap about us?” another familiar voice jokes gruffly, sitting and kicking his feet up on the table with a fond smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry we’re late,” the more gentle of the females’ voices rang as she took her place at the table as well, an upward quirk to her mouth.</p><p> </p><p>The ape-like man is already dishing himself up a plate of food as he cheers, “Pasta? My favorite!” </p><p> </p><p>There’s a flash of blue light as the teen sat down sophisticatedly despite the sheepish expression on his face. He looks One right in the eyes though, an awkward but apologetic simper spread across his lips. </p><p>One raises an eyebrow at him in an inquiring manner.</p><p>Five shrugs, “Belonging is a feeling evoked by the people you're around, not by a place where others expect you to be.”</p><p> </p><p>But if they’re all here, then where’s..?</p><p> </p><p>Spindly arms wrap around him from behind; he shivers at the comforting yet cool-to-the-touch skin. He wants to look at him, he really does but… he’s kind of bitter.</p><p>The man still rejected him pretty harshly the night before and although it wasn’t the best of times for a confession, he was under the impression that it was going to be the <em>only </em>time, the <em>last </em>time.</p><p>And then he had just laid there, <em>by himself</em>, festering with regret and sadness <em>that he wouldn’t even get to say</em> <em>goodbye. </em>And now they’re here and supposedly not leaving? So what does he do now?</p><p> </p><p>It was all unrequited, wasn’t it?</p><p> </p><p>He feels breath tickle his ear and he tries his best not to snatch it right up from the medium’s mouth. </p><p>
  <em> He didn’t feel the same, remember? Restrain yourself. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Are you going to keep sulking or are you going to kiss me like you missed me?” Klaus whispered in a sultry tone.</p><p> </p><p>One bit his inner cheek painfully hard. </p><p>A soft kiss is placed on his temple.</p><p>He stubbornly turns his head in the other direction. </p><p> </p><p>There’s a small sigh before the man mumbles in his ear even quieter than before, “I never got to say it last night but… I love you too. More than anything.”</p><p>He obstinately inquires, "No really's?"</p><p>Klaus smiles. "A million really's. I love you; I really, really, really, really, really, really, really-"</p><p> </p><p>And honestly? Just the first one was good enough for him.</p><p>In a matter of seconds, Klaus is letting out an enthusiastic squeak as One yanks him into his lap and kisses him like the world is ending: arms wrapped around each other, glassy unfocused orbs fighting off tears, and not a single care for the many sets of eyes staring at them in varying degrees of shock, disgust, and reluctant approval.</p><p> </p><p>As the familiar sweet taste of honey begins to coat his tastebuds, One pulls away and stands suddenly. He throws the medium onto his shoulder in a fireman’s carry, giving a curt, “We’ll uh… be right back; I have to go do something real quick.”</p><p> </p><p>The medium smiles angelically at his family’s scrunched up faces, giving a gentle wave of his goodbye hand as he’s being carried up the steps of the stair.</p><p>Cheekily, Klaus supplies, “In case you haven’t put two and two together, I’m <em> something</em>.”</p><p><br/>
<em>~The End </em><br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Has your hunger for sparrow horrance been satisfied? (We really need a better ship name for that...) Although this series is done, I might write some random one-shots in the future that's unrelated to this storyline.<br/>I have chaptered works I need to get back to first though; I haven't updated Let it Rot since like July (I've literally had half of chapter three written for months now XD)</p><p>Well, until next time my lovely ketchup muffins~<br/>Thanks for reading and sticking with me! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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